Open Thread – Watts Up With That?

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The UK has become a very strange and rather frightening place in recent decades. Its operating a sort of social credit scheme, not so far on a central government basis, though that will come if digital IDs are introduced, but as the result of mass conformity and local repression.

A striking straw in the wind was Ed Miliband’s recent refusal to discuss the merits of his Net Zero policies – they are what they are, and I am not going to discuss them. But this is a very mild example of the national phenomenon of shutting down any inconvenient questions, opinions, comments.

A classic recent example is that a man was arrested during a pro-Palestinian demonstration/counter demonstration. He was allegedly arrested for repeatedly breaching ‘keep apart’ orders. But when being questioned (at 2 in the morning) a substantial part of the interrogation centered on why he was wearing a Star of David piece of jewelry, and the offense he may or may not have realised or intended that it would cause to peace loving pro-Palestinians should they notice it.

That’s enforcement by the police. But take the case of Simon Isherwood. Mr Isherwood attended from home a company run online seminar at which the concept of ‘white privilege’ was discussed. Not realizing he had left the mike on, he wondered aloud to his wife whether there was a similar concept of ‘black privilege’ in Ghana. He was fired for this by his employer, despite apologizing profusely for asking such a question.

The Free Speech Union won an appeal of this case for him. But Monty Python, where are you now that we really need you? This is po faced Chinese social credit, with British characteristics.

Such cases are occurring in the UK at the rate of thousands a year. Almost any subject can give rise to one. There are also cases which are less clear cut, where the police call but do not arrest, or where there is a disciplinary hearing without actual termination of employment. I have not heard of people being visited by the police because their climate denialism upset someone, but its only a matter of time. Cases because of gender critical views are two a penny. Take the case of the Scottish nurse who objected to sharing changing facilities with a biological man. Disciplinary hearing!

Meanwhile every weekend in UK cities you can see demonstrations on the Gaza situation, with banners calling for the abolition of the state of Israel and remarks which border on real incitement to violence against jews. For example, the remarks by an Oxford student recently, who during one such demo led a chant calling to ‘put the Zios in the ground’. He has been arrested. But we confidently await the CPS finding that there is no case to answer. There never is for such cases.

You also find an extraordinary distributed self righteousness on speech other matters which prompt the emergence of a mob who try to cancel or demonstrate against the accused person. Any concept of the rule of law, well defined crimes or offenses, or of a proper hearing, has vanished.

Well, winter is coming. All the British can do is wait for the blackouts and consider very carefully what they are saying and in the hearing of who, if they comment on them. Your bank may close your account or your utility company cut you off because you have behaved inconsistently with our values.

In the spring there will be local elections, and then you can vote Reform. Hope it does you all some good! But not getting my hopes up, and don’t tell anyone you are doing it.





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